


The Problem With Time Travel (and falling in love)

by TwelvesImpossibleSouffle



Category: The Flash
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-24
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2019-05-13 05:07:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14742543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwelvesImpossibleSouffle/pseuds/TwelvesImpossibleSouffle
Summary: What if Barry stayed with Iris out of obligation? What if HR didn't have to die? What if Killer Frost was a part of Caitlin? What if Savitar's heart could be thawed by a few kind words and a romantic sub plot?





	1. Chapter 1

The Savitar problem just got worse as time went on. Discovering he was Barry’s time remnant didn’t actually do the team much good.

Thinking back on those days anyone on the team would tell you they felt lost, desperate, clueless, none of it made sense. Barry was the most confused of them all, running around day and night trying to save Iris West.

One time I asked him why, he said it made him feel like he could be free again. I asked him what he meant, his response was that he needed her alive so he could move on. That whatever love he had had for her had died. She had waited too long. It was barely alive when she decided she wanted him.

I hated this part, everyone trusted me. They told me things. Yet I felt the ice in my chest slowly eating me away.

I had to fake smiles and tears, the ice froze my heart first.

Then it froze everything else.

I would like to say that’s where it ended. I went evil, joined Savitar, and killed Cisco.

But that’s not what happened.

She never truly died, she was supposed to, I was supposed to win. But everywhere I went, and everywhere she went something happened. I would see him. He was grand, but scary. His existence made me panic, and when I was scared Caitlin won.

Caitlin won when Savitar came for me, and when she did she ran straight to Cisco.

Cisco, the boy who figured it out. 

Of course he needed my help, and Julian’s. 

Poor Julian, I broke his heart when I told him I didn’t love him. He only made me feel more like Caitlin, which was like an addiction. My theory is that something about him, maybe Alchemy, made my heart thaw just a fraction. But it wasn’t love, never love.

But none of that’s important, what matters here is how Iris West died. How we saved her life. How HR Wells became a hero and was de-caped. How Cisco Ramon changed everything. How Killer Frost and Caitlin Snow are the same person. How Barry Allen killed Iris West and Savitar saved her.

It started like most days did back then. We all sat around brainstorming in complete silence hoping someone would try to rob a bank.

I was playing with Cisco’s toy sonic when it struck me. Savitar was a time traveler. Rewriting time is difficult yes, but not impossible.

I let a smile creep over my face, Julian squirms in his seat and Cisco looks over at me.

“Cait, you have something to share?”

“Savitar is a time traveler. He kills Iris for something that happens in the future. Something he was more than willing to share with us”

That’s all I needed to say. Of course it sounded more like Caitlin, it was tinged with excitement.

“Dr. Snow you are brilliant!” Cisco says jumping up.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cisco, Cait, and Julian tell Barry about their plan. Then they decide to fight Savitar by messing with Barry's head, never a very great idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I don't know how far this will go because all of this was written a year ago. And I just found it and was like ehhh why not?

I stared in disbelief at Cisco as he told me his maniacal plan.

“You are telling me the best way to save Iris is to let her die?!” I repeated for probably the billionth time in the last five minutes.

“He’s not lying,” Julian says his voice calm and exasperated, “It is the best way to go about saving Iris West. We should let the time line play out the way it always does. He will stab her, and you will go over the edge to destroy Savitar.”

Caitlin joined in at this point, “Then when you create your time remnant we make him feel loved, and accepted unlike last time, effectively making him not want to destroy the love of your life.”

Cisco nodded almost dejectedly, “I’m not saying it is the best plan out there but it’s the best we’ve got. Not only that but it’s more like a backup plan. In case we can’t save her.”

I ran and flung myself into a chair the force of my speed and the wheels sending me flying a couple feet. My mind was racing with all the make believe science that came with time travel, nothing that was being said could be backed up with any real substance. But then again after Iris dies what more do we have to lose. My eyes meet Julian’s, then Caitlin’s and it clicks in my mind that that is exactly what we have to lose.

“Fine. But under no circumstances does this ‘plan’ get told to the rest of the team.”

“Why not?” Cisco asks.

“Hope is the deadliest weapon of all,” Julian says tapping a pen against the table top.

Caitlin nods solemnly, “We all agree not to say anything, as long as you, Barry, promise to be completely honest.”

This caused me to freeze, her tone was sharp almost a warning. Every molecule in my body told me to run; running was my defense mechanism after all. If I ran no one could catch me, except maybe Wally.

Cisco and Julian had started staring back and forth like they were trying to read the other two’s minds.

“I’ve tried everything Cait. Everything. I can’t tell the truth, not now.”

“But you can’t keep lying,” her voice had gone cold.

“I know.” Was all I said before unceremoniously getting up and walking out on them. Frankly I was surprised that Cisco and Julian hadn’t gone all scientist on me and grilled for answers.

I did what I did best, I ran. I ran far and fast leaving Central behind in a flash of lightening.

I wasn’t ready for the responsibility. I knew that either she would break; say she already knew, or that she felt the same. Each result would be scary. I could shatter her heart or have already broken it. Then again the last option insured no hearts broke, but meant that we have been wasting a lot of time ‘pretending’.

 

I arrived back at STAR Labs, just to hear Cisco say “Hey Barry, we’ve got a plan.”

My mood changed drastically after that. At least until after Julian spoke up.

“Allen, we want to stop you from making new memories,” his voice was a drawl his eyes dead set.

“What are you talking about?!” Iris says her voice borderline dangerous.

“Savitar is a future version of Barry. Meaning everything we do, every plan we make he knows about.” Cisco says, flapping his hands in the air.

“So if we prevent Barry from retaining memories Savitar won’t know what we plan on doing,” Julian finished.

“You want to mess with his brain?” Joe asks his voice weary and just a bit upset.

“Just a little bit,” Cisco says, pinching his thumb and forefinger close together.

“A small procedure,” Julian says leaning back in his chair. ‘Why is he always in a chair and leaning back casually last time I checked there wasn’t a chair in here’. 

“Yep, he’ll still be the Barry you all know and love but he won’t retain any memories.” Cisco said a smirk on his face.

“There are two types of memory Allen. Short term and long term,” he gets up and places a hand on my shoulder while looking down at his tablet, “the long term is for”

“Julian, Julian,” Cisco interrupts, “Stop. This is my presentation. I will be happy to explain.”

“It’s fine guys,” I say rubbing my hand on the back of my neck, “You can do it. I trust you. Both of you.”

Julian raises an eyebrow, but keeps pressing buttons on his tablet. Cisco just smiles, “You won’t regret this buddy.”

Caitlin groans, “Oh no.”

I open my eyes and glance around. The light is blinding.

“Uh, right. How do you feel?” Asks a man with blond hair and a tie.

“I feel fine,” I say.

The girl standing to my left sighs in relief. She’s pretty but not the prettiest face I’ve ever seen. Actually the woman with white hair and blue lips is so much more beautiful, in a cold calculating way.

“You see,” says the nerdy guy pointing at me, “He feels fine.”

Everyone in the room chuckles in relief.

The girl to my left is holding my hand, I pull it out, her hand was weird and warm.

“Barry,” she says concern in her voice.

“Barry?” Asks the man with the badge.

Which is quickly echoed by the man in the tie.

“Uh, who’s Barry?” I ask.


End file.
